Oof. I've been there. Those kinds of projects can be beastly to write up - they refuse to lie flat on the page, and when you try to straighten a corner of it, another begins curling up again.

It helps me to think in terms of maps - you're not looking for a map that reproduces the world perfectly, you're looking for a pared-down (but not wrong) version that highlights the information you're looking for. It's okay if different arguments need different maps of the same place.

Of course, it also helps me to realize that the first 90% of my writing time is still going to involve cursing, opening new files and starting over, whiskey drinking, more cursing, and so on until something clicks...that's what you sign on for with these types of projects.

About Me

Professor of Medieval Stuff at Urban University, Grit City Beach, struggling to figure out life after tenure. I'm a picture-taking, document-deciphering, bike-riding, goofball intellectual. I sing and dance, both badly, but with great enthusiasm. I care deeply about the proper use of apostrophes.
You can contact me directly at notoriousphd ~ at ~ mac ~ dot ~ com